1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to portable media devices. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention relate to methods and systems for interfacing portable media devices with media content providers.
2. The Relevant Technology
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
One of the advantages afforded by technological improvements is the ability to distribute to digital media. However, the ability of information handling systems to distribute digital media has not kept pace with the ways in which digital media can be distributed, the wide variety of digital media, or with the growing diversity among media devices.
For example, digital media (e.g., music, video, Internet data, sports data, news data, weather data, etc.) can be distributed to media devices via various networks including the Internet as well as wireless communication, such as satellite radio, WiFi, cellular networks, and the like. Given the diversity of media devices and media content, many different types of devices have been developed to enjoy the growing availability of digital media, including MP3 players, portable CD players, portable DVD players, notebook computers, cellular telephones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), are examples of such devices. Digital media can also be enjoyed on other non-portable devices as well such as on desk top computers.
Oftentimes, the media content providers require user authentication before they will provide any content or services to portable and non-portable media devices. Consequently, the portable and non-portable media devices must contact each individual media content provider that requires authentication and satisfy any authentication requirements prior to being able to access desired content or services. This is often time consuming and undesirable.
In addition, the authentication requirements of one or more media service providers may be periodically changed or updated. This often means that a portable and non-portable media device that was previously authenticated to receive content or services will no longer be authenticated without going through the time consuming authentication process.